What does "fracture" mean and what are the main types?

A fracture is a break or crack in a bone. The main types include closed or simple fracture where the bone breaks without penetrating the skin, open or compound fracture where the bone breaks through the skin creating infection risk, comminuted fracture where the bone shatters into three or more fragments, greenstick fracture where the bone bends and partially breaks common in children, stress fracture which is a small crack from repetitive force, and pathological fracture caused by disease weakening the bone such as osteoporosis or cancer.